The storm of December 23, 2022 tore the gangplank off the fishing pier at the mouth of Southport Harbor, and the pier has been closed to the public ever since.
The Town of Fairfield reopened the park at 1085 Harbor Road on September 21, 2026. It has a new pier, rebuilt seawalls, fresh sod and new benches. Nineteen days later, Connecticut's tautog season opened on October 10. Blackfish, black sea bass, scup and striped bass are now all legal in Long Island Sound at the same time. The first two of those seasons close within days of each other at the end of November. After waiting almost four years, the rebuilt pier gets about seven weeks of full fall fishing in its first season.
Almost Four Years Without a Gangplank
The wharf has needed repairs for most of its history. Here's how this round played out:
- Late 18th century. The first wharf is built to serve a commercial shipyard. Storms, wind and waves have forced repairs on every structure since.
- 1999. The Town buys the property from a private owner. The Fairfield Harbor Management Commission now manages it as public space for walking, viewing, fishing, picnics and passive recreation.
- December 23, 2022. A storm rips away the gangplank, and the fishing pier closes.
- May 11, 2023. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) issues the Town a Certificate of Permission to replace the timber pier and repair the seawall and riprap.
- June 2024. The State Bonding Commission approves $1,073,778 for the repairs.
- April 6, 2026. The contractor is selected and brings equipment to the site. The Town says work will start with removing the existing piles.
- August 21, 2026. The pier is finished and the new seawalls are in place. Irrigation, sod and benches are still to come.
- September 21, 2026. The park reopens to the public.
The gap between steps 3 and 8 was longer than anyone first predicted. In May 2023 the Harbor Management Commission said work would not finish "before Spring of 2024 at the very earliest." It also warned that limits on a Connecticut Port Authority grant program made the reopening date uncertain. At the time, commission chair Kim Taylor described the closure to Patch this way:
"Harbor Management Commission members grew particularly concerned about the stability and safety of the old wood piers and masonry bulkhead walls over the last few years but a big storm on December 23, 2022 dealt a decisive blow when the gangplank allowing access from land to the fishing pier was ripped from the structure."
The closure also changed one of Southport's oldest rituals. As the same Patch release reported, for years clergy stood on the fishing pier to bless the boats and crews passing by in the annual Blessing of the Fleet. In June 2023 they had to stand on the shoreline instead.
What the Rebuild Fixed Under the Deck
The piles were failing too. The same 2023 announcement cited an engineering report finding that wind and waves had damaged the old pier, and the piles holding up the fishing platform had been weakened by marine borer worms burrowing into the wood. That's why the rebuild began with removing the old piles and driving new ones before any decking went down.
DEEP's 2023 permit set out the scope. It allowed fourteen 12-inch piles, pile caps and stringers, 385 square feet of decking, and guardrails. It also allowed replacing a 110-foot section of seawall, maintaining or modifying about 220 linear feet of seawall, and maintaining about 135 linear feet of riprap. Those were the permitted specifications. The finished pier may differ in some details.
The Town's progress notes from this summer filled in the rest. In May, crews removed the old wall caps and poured new ones to hold the existing stone revetment in place. By the end of June the pier's structural supports were done. Railings were going up in late July. The project page still lists a $800,000 estimated cost, the preliminary number RACE Coastal Engineering of Stratford gave in 2023. The state's $1,073,778 approval came a year later. The 2024 announcement also credited a matching investment from the RTM and the Town but didn't give that amount. Neither figure is a final cost.
When the state approved the money, Fairfield's engineering manager said the restoration would give people of all ages and abilities general public access to Southport Harbor. The Town's September 24 newsletter said a ribbon-cutting was being planned for mid-October. As of this writing, no date has been announced.
The Fall Seasons Off the End of the Pier
The reopening comes at a good point in the fishing calendar. These are the 2026 seasons on CT DEEP's species regulations page for the fish shore anglers usually target in fall:
| Species | 2026 open season | Size rule | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tautog / blackfish | October 10 to November 28 | 16-inch minimum | 3 per angler |
| Black sea bass | May 16 to November 25 | 15.5-inch minimum | 4 per angler |
| Scup / porgy, from shore | May 1 to December 31 | 9.5-inch minimum | 30 per angler |
| Striped bass | Open year-round | 28 inches to under 31 inches | 1 per angler |
Read top to bottom, the table shows how short the overlap is. All four seasons have been open together only since October 10. Black sea bass closes November 25 and blackfish closes November 28. After that, only scup and striped bass remain through the end of the year. DEEP also requires a circle hook when fishing for stripers with bait.
Anyone 16 or older needs a Connecticut Marine Waters Fishing License to fish from shore or from a boat. Licenses run by calendar year and expire December 31. A license bought now covers the rest of this season and expires a few weeks after blackfish closes. Rules can change, so check DEEP's licensing page and the regulations before heading out.
The wharf has always drawn more than anglers. The Harbor Management Commission's release said the site offers broad views of Southport Harbor and Long Island Sound in every direction and is popular with professional and amateur photographers and painters. The Town hasn't published pier hours, a pier length, or any parking or lighting changes, so it's best to check the Town's project page for updates.
Back Up to the Village
From the harbor, the same weeks are busy up in the village.
Pequot Library, at 720 Pequot Avenue, opened its exhibition "Lines of Liberty" on October 8. It runs through January 9, 2027. The library's calendar has several Halloween events:
- Halloween Costume Swap, Saturday, October 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations are accepted through October 15.
- Haunted Library for middle schoolers, Wednesday, October 28, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Boo Fest Movie & Costume Party, Saturday, October 31, 1 to 3 p.m.
- Literary Luncheon with author Jean Hanff Korelitz, Friday, November 13.
Rooms with a View takes place about three weeks before blackfish season closes. Its opening party is Thursday, November 5, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The general show, book signings and lectures run November 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and November 8 from noon to 5 p.m. One ticket covers the whole weekend.
Pequot Avenue has the usual stops for before or after a morning on the pier. Fairfield's tourism guide lists Horseshoe Cafe at 355 Pequot Ave, Sammy's Southport Pizza House at 295, and Switzer's Pharmacy at 322. It also lists Fairfield Women's Exchange at 332, J. McLaughlin at 342, Foxtrot Home at 362 and Kasson Jewelers at 393.
A new stop is on the way. In February, Hartford Business Journal reported that a Southport General Store and a 26-seat RoseHill Kitchen were planned for the former Spic and Span Market and Driftwood Sandwich Shop building. It gave the address as 327 Pequot Ave. In May, Home & Garden CT-NY listed the store at 329 Pequot Avenue and said it was expected to open in fall 2026. Neither source gives an opening date, so for now it's a plan.
Southport is our home village, and Ken Banks has been photographing this harbor for years. If the reopened wharf has you thinking about what your own place near the water is worth this season, The Ken Banks Team can walk you through it, from Harbor Road to Pequot Avenue. Request Your Complimentary Home Valuation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
